S. African Communist Party raises objection to possible cabinet reshuffle

The South African Communist Party (SACP) said on Thursday it has recorded its objection to the intended cabinet reshuffle by President Jacob Zuma.

"The SACP wishes to state that as the norm, the President informed us of his intention to effect a Cabinet reshuffle, replacing both the Minister and Deputy Minister of Finance," the party said in a statement.

This came amid reports that Zuma has summoned the rest of the top six of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) on Thursday evening to an urgent meeting in Pretoria, probably to discuss a cabinet reshuffle.

It's widely speculated that nine ministers and six deputy ministers, including Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and his deputy Mcebisi Jonas, would be affected by the reshuffle.

"The constitution of the country accords the President of the country a responsibility to appoint Cabinet," the SACP said.

The President of the country, however, is a deployee of the ANC and has to implement ANC mandate, said the SACP.

The ANC is in alliance with the SACP, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and SANCO (South African National Civic Organisation) and therefore has an obligation to consult its alliance partners in exercising political power collectively struggled for, the SACP said.

"The SACP rejects this emerging paradigm on presidential prerogative devoid of political collective oversight. The collective oversight demand of us to be frank with each other since we required to discharge our responsibilities not merely as friends and acquaintances, but as revolutionaries with a purpose to serve and change the lives of our people for the better," the party said.

On Monday, Zuma recalled Gordhan and Jonas from a trip to the United Kingdom and the United States, giving rise to speculations that a cabinent reshuffle was imminent.

The SACP confirmed on Thursday that Zuma had told the party that he intended to fire Gordhan and Jonas based on an "intelligence report".

The report contains claims that Gordhan and Jonas were going to use the trip to the UK and U.S. to push for a change in government.

According to the report, Gordhan, Jonas and Treasury Director General Lungisa Fuzile had set up "secret meetings" to start "operation Check Mate" and to tell investors they stood together against Zuma and the corruption of the Indian Gupta family which allegedly exerts undue influence on Zuma.

Apparently referring to the report, the SACP lambasted the abuse of state security organs.

"The SACP is gravely concerned by the growing abuse of state security organs and their meddling in daily political life of the country," the party said.

It said it is aware of a rogue intelligence unit that gathers data illegally, produces false reports and feeds them into the political and public domain to smear comrades.

The SACP has laid a complaint with the Inspector General of Intelligence Setlomamari Isaac Dintwe and the Minister of State Security David Mahlobo, but the two men thus far have treated the complaint flippantly, according to SACP acting spokesperson Malesela Maleka.

"In this regard we have noted a rising apartheid era style intimidation and harassment of activists, SACP members and other ANC members," the SACP said.

"We have a responsibility not to allow ourselves to be run by gangsters nor degenerate into a gangster state wherein public office bearers and officials cannot discharge their responsibilities without fear or favour," the SACP added. Endit